Combination brassiere and girdle



April 1943. 1.. MALMSTEAD 2,315,975

"HIM/Hindu Ill llll

lll llllll ll lllll llllllll Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION BRASSIERE AND GIR-DLE Lilyan ltlalmstead, New York, N. Y.

Application November 27, 1941, Serial No. 420,642

6 Claims.

This invention relates to b-rassieres, girdles,

and to combinations thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide a brassiere having improved means for the reliable and comfortable support of busts of different sizes with especial reference to large busts.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a girdle having improved means for causing reduction of excessive fatty tissues while permitting comfort in different postures and restraining the figure of the wearer without bulging effects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a [foundation garment having a brassiere and girdle which may be separate of each other and which are so movably interrelated as to allow for vertical front adjustment in the length of the garment below the bust while exerting a downward tension on the brassire by means of the girdle to thus restrain the bust.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a combination brassire and girdle which are laterally interconnected for relative pivotal or swinging movement for front adjustment of the length of the foundation garment below the bust while exerting a fitted horizontal and vertical tension at desired points.

A further object of the invention is to provide garments having improved means as set forth and which shall be neat, compact, inexpensive to manufacture, adapted for quantity production and so as to reduce the number of sizes that need be kept in stock, and which shall be durable, reliable and efficient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become. apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the sub-joined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a foundation garment embodying the invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in rear elevation of the garment with the brassire opened up to lie fiat and extended.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several difierent constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, l0 denotes a foundation garment, such as a combination brassiere and girdle, embodying the invention. Accordingly this garment comprises a brassiere I! and a girdle l2, which embody individual features of invention, so that they possess distinct advantages even when used apart from each other. However, all of the advantages of the invention are best realized by the conjoint use of the brassiere and girdle whether they be separated or interconnected as shown.

More particularly, the brassire l I may be provided with any well known pocket structure [3 for the bust, a preferably lateral opening l4 and any detachable closure means 15 therefor, and the shoulder straps it, which may be adjustable if desired.

To provide for improved separation of the bust and to afford a superior support therefor as well as an inherently regulated pressure, there is an elastic element I! incorporated in the front wall of the b-rassiere. overlying the section of the wearers body immediately below the bust, is a portion 13 of any yieldab-le or elastic material. The parts I! and I8 are so related to each other as to be individually stretchable and movable relatively to each other. Thus they maybe separated from each other at the line l9 between the tacking or fastenings 2D, with the part It having a section 2| overlapping a lower portion of the elastic element ll. Preferably the section 2| underlies the said elastic element. At all other points the various parts of the brassire may be permanently interconnected into a continuous unitary garment, except for the opening at I l.

The brassiere elements I? and It may be of suitable size and shape and may be variously located. However, for easy conformation to the bust and to best realize the objects herein, the element ll is disposed between the bust pockets it and may be shaped to the contour thereof. In a broad sense, the invention permits of stretch ability in different degrees or ways as between these elements I? and It; Without being limited thereto, the element I! is preferably arranged solely for generally horizontal stretch, while the element i8 is preferably arranged solely for vertical or upright stretch. Regardless of such arrangement, the essential feature of the brassiere II is that th bust pockets can expand outward or move apart by the yield of the elastic element I! with the elastic element i8 restraining the body below the bust and serving to anchor the lower parts of the bust pockets remotely from the center of the brassiere. For such anchoring, the element H3 may exert a conforming downward tension on the bust pockets so as to hold in the bust and yet to permit some upward yield if the bust size requires it. Thus by conjoint action of the elements I! and [8, the brassire is inherently self adjusting for busts of different sizes and is especially adapted for large busts. This advantage may be obtained even if the element l8 has universal elasticity, as its tension in the horizontal direction would in any case be greater than that .of the element II.

If desired, some horizontal stretchability may be provided by the lateral elastic gussets 22 in the lower part of the brassiere, assuming that the element [8 be regarded as possessing only upright elasticity. These gussets 22 may be located remotely below the element I7 and are intended to afford yield and comfort at the fleshy parts of the body approximately at the region of the stomach.

The girdle l2 may have any suitable opening that may extend part way down from its top edge, and which may be closed as by a slide fastener 23 to facilitate the putting on and taking off of the girdle. Along its opposite sides there may be provided elastic inserts 24 which may be generally horizontally stretchable in the conventional manner. At the lower part of the front is an elastic gusset 25 which may be horizontally stretchable, while along the bottom edge of the girdle are any suitable fasteners for the hose or other garments, of which the fasteners 26 may be disposed at the front and the fasteners 21 at the rear of the girdle. These fasteners are conventional and hence are shown in fragmentary view.

The back of the girdle may consist of elastic sections 28, 29, joined together along a line 30 which may be straight but is preferably in the form of a shallow V. These sections 28, 29 are united to the side strips 24 (regardless whether the latter be elastic or not) thus producing a novel back structure which is capable of causing reduction of excessive fatty tissues by different but cooperative actions of the elastic sections 28, 29. Thus the section 28 may be stretchable solely in a horizontal direction while the section 29 may be stretchable solely in a vertical or upright direction. For the most effective operation, the girdle is preferably secured at the top in some manner for a vertical tension and to counterbalance the tension of the hose fasteners 21. This may readily be effected in conjunction with the brassire H, as by clipping or tacking the girdle thereto at various spaced points. With the combination unitary girdle and brassiere, I prefer to continuously connect the back of the girdle to the back of the brassiere, and desirably I employ any elastic or vertically elastic back band or strip 3| joined at its upper edge to the back 32 of the brassire and at its lower edge to the top of the section 28. This back band 3| may be regarded as a part of the brassiere or of the girdle, or as a part of both; it serves to eliminate pressure in the central region of the back, which would otherwise be a cause of great discomfort.

It will be understood that the girdle back sections 28, 29 may be of different sizes and shapes. The essential effect is the action at the lower rear fleshy parts of the wearers torso by reason of a combined restraining and straightening action.

causing a reducing effect. For this purpose the A horizontally elastic section 28 is essential, as Without it the section 29 would not be operative. The principal effect occurs in the region immediately adjacent to both of these sections so that substantially like or closely related parts of the fatty tissues are thus subject to the different but cooperative effects of the sections 28, 29.

Regardless whether the brassiere and girdle I l and i2 are interconnected to form a unitary garment, they are preferably at least detachably interconnected for obtaining certain advantages of the invention. Thus the lower front part or section it of the brassiere may have one or more fasteners 33 detachably engageable with vertically spaced fastener elements or loops 35 on the front upper section or wall of the girdle. In this manner vertical tension may be exerted as between the girdle and brassiere at the front.

An important feature of the invention is the provision for vertical adjustability according to the length of the torso below the bust. This length frequently Varies in women who may be of the same height and of course it may vary in women of varying girth. To permit the making of fewer stock sizes it is desirable to afford this adjustability. The same is readily accomplished by securing the fastener 33 to the upper or lower of the fastener elements 36. In either case, the elastic section I8 substantially overlies the front of the girdle below the top edge 35 thereof.

A single foundation garment such as 10, comprising both brassiere and girdle parts, is frequently desirable both from the commercial standpoint and also because of its greater compactness and continuity of holdin power for the body. With the present invention, the brassire H is connected to the girdle between the points 36 at the back as shown in Fig. 5 so that there is formed a single, continuous back, avoiding bulkiness as by overlap of the girdle and brassiere and obtaining a vertical tensioning all through the back. By locating the tenninal points 36 at the back, ample movability is assured at the front when the fastenings 33, 34 are adjusted. Thus the sections 31, 38 of the brassiere are free to pivot or swing up and down. Also some degree of fulness at 97, 38 is provided, so that when the brassire is opened out flat as in Fig. 5, it tends to swing downward as shown. In a sense therefore the parts 31, 38 may be regarded as flaps, and the pivotal action thus provided permits the front of the brassiere to swing downwardly for engagement with the lower fastener 34 for a woman having a relatively short torso below the bust.

A further advantage with the garment I0 is that it is easy to put on and take off by reason of the separate openings at M and 23, with the front of the brassire being fully openable.

The objects of the invention are best realized when all the features thereof are employed together. Thus the brassiere structures at l1, l8 and 2i is especially advantageous where the front wall of the brassire is tensioningly adjustable relative to the front wall of the girdle by the fasteners 33, 34, and in view of the increased girdle tension at 29, 30. Also the girdle tension mentioned renders the brassiere ll desirable, as well as the separate closures l5 and 23 and the adjustability at 33, 34 to thus obtain a perfectly balanced structure.

It will thus be seen that I have provided garments which fulfill the objects of the invention and are well adapted for practical use. Various modifications may be comprehended within the invention. For example, if the only elastic part of the girdle rear wall is the band 29, then desirable effects can be obtained by constructing substantially the entire front wall of elastic which is vertically stretchable.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment including a brassire having a front wall having a top section and a bottom section, the former having bust receiving pockets, the latter lying below said pockets, and elastic means between the pockets and interconnecting the same whereby the top section is expansible, with the bottom section being connected to the pockets to restrain the same and being free of said elastic means for vertical movement of the latter relative to the said bottom section so that the bottom section is capable of exerting a downward pull principally on said pockets.

2. A foundation garment including a brassiere having a front wall having a top section and a bottom section, the former having bust receiving pockets, the latter lying below said pockets, the top section having an elastic portion between the pockets for elastic relative movement of the pockets toward and away from each other, the bottom section being connected to the pockets but being relatively free of said elastic portion, the bottom section being vertically elastic to exert downward tension on the pockets and being horizontally inelastic to restrain the bottom portions of the pockets against said relative movement.

3. A foundation garment including a girdle having a wall adapted to snugly encircle the torso of the wearer and comprising a rear wall having a plurality of sections each extending substantially from side to side, said section being alongside each other and one of them being the bottom portion of the back of the girdle confined to the region of the buttocks, said sections being of elastic material arranged so that the bottom portion is stretchable in only a vertical direction and another section covering the region of the hips is stretchable in only a horizontal direction, and a third section forming the top portion and lying at the small of the back being stretchable only in a verticaldirection.

4. A foundation garment including a brasslere and a girdle, the brassiere having a front wall overlapping the upper part of the front wall of the girdle, the lower portion of the front wall of the brassire being elastically stretchable in a vertical direction, the said front walls being vertically movable relatively to each other, and means directly below the elastic portion for adjustably interconnecting said front walls to adjust the overall length according to'the varying length of the wearers body below the bust.

5. A foundation garment including a brassiere and a girdle, each having a separate front wall, each having a back wall, means interconnecting the back walls in fixed relation to each other, the back wall of the girdle including a section at the elevation of the hips stretchable only horizontally and a portion at the buttocks stretchable only vertically to tend to shorten the back of the girdle, and means interconnecting the front walls in adjustable relation to each other to adjust the overall length of the front of the garment to thus cooperate with the back of the garment to tend to straighten the wearer.

6. A foundation garment including a brassiere and a girdle having a common back Wall and separate front walls, said girdle and brassiere having separate openings and closures therefor, and means for adjustably interconnecting the front walls to adjust the length of the front of the garment according to the length of the torso below the bust, the front wall of the brassiere always overlapping the front wall of the girdle, and the girdle and brassiere being separate of each other along lines extending at least around the sides whereby the front wall of the brassiere is movable downwardly relatively to the front wall of the girdle with the side portions of the brassiere being swingable downward from said common back, the front wall of the brassire having bust receiving pockets and an elastic portion below said pockets stretchable in a vertical direction, and the back wall having a first section at the small of the back, a second section at the hips and a third section at the buttocks, the first and third sections being stretchable only vertically and the second section being stretchable only horizontally.

, LILYAN MALMSTE-AD. 

